South Sulawesi Basarnas Extends Search For Victims Of KM Ladang Pertiwi Which Sank In Makassar Strait

MAKASSAR - The National Search and Rescue Agency (Basarnas) of South Sulawesi plans to extend the search for 16 victims of KM Ladang Pertiwi 2, following the discovery of two bodies around Pamantauang Island, Liungkang Kalmas District, Pangkep Regency.

"There is a possibility that the search period will be added for the next three days. And we will coordinate if there is we will see tomorrow. Because tomorrow is the last day (SAR operation)," said Head of the South Sulawesi Basarnas, Djunaidi at the Main Command Post, Paotere Port, Makassar, quoted by Antara, Thursday. , June 2nd.

He explained that the SAR operation was initially carried out for seven days in accordance with standard procedures (Protap), but following the discovery of two bodies of a man and a woman who had not been identified, the possibility of the operation was extended.

In addition, his party continues to coordinate with the integrated team to carry out the search, considering that the two victims who were found earlier at 16.30 WITA, did not rise to the surface when they drowned, and after a few days their bodies just floated in the sea.

Regarding the discovery of the two bodies, whether they were close or far apart, his party did not know for sure, because the fishing boat found them first, although both bodies were found but not taken at the same time.

So far, the two bodies, a man and a woman who have not been identified by the family, are still on the KN SAR Kamajaya ship. The plan is that the bodies of the two will be taken to the Bayangkara Hospital for a Post Mortem or further identification by the DVI team, because the bodies cannot be identified.

For the location of the discovery of the two victims of KM Ladang Pertiwi 2 passengers around Pamantauang Island, or approximately 30 nautical miles (NM) from the local island.

Meanwhile, based on information from the South Sulawesi Police's Disaster Victim Identification (DVI) Command Post at Paotere Harbor, Makassar, only eight families of the victims reported missing family members.

"The total number of ante mortem family data that have reported to us is a total of eight. From these families we take ante mortem data on these victims," said the Head of Biddokes for the South Sulawesi Police and the head of the local DVI Dokkes team, Kombes Pol dr Yusuf Mawadi.

Previously, KM Ladang Pertiwi 2 was reported to have sunk on Thursday (26/5) in the Makassar Strait, and it was only confirmed on Friday (27/5) by the SAR team. Initially, the number of passengers on this wooden ship was 42 people, with 31 survivors, and 11 missing.

However, after the latest data entered, which was updated by the South Sulawesi Basarnas, through data from the local village head, the number of passengers increased to 50 people. On the sixth day of the SAR operation, 31 people were declared safe, three people died, and 16 people were still being searched.